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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Occup Environ Med. 2018 Feb;60(2):191–197. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001200

Table 1.

Median concentrations (ng/g lipid) of halogenated organics in e-waste workers, non-recyclers and NHANES.

Compound Age LODa Non-recyclers (n=20)
E-waste recyclers (n=40)
Median testb
NHANESc
Group Median (95%CI) PCT >LOD Median (95%CI) PCT >LOD p-value Median (95%CI)
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
PBDE-47 All 0.4 <LOD 15% 1.5 (1.1–2.4) 88% <0.0001 19.4 (15.0–23.8)
18–<38 <LOD 10% 1.5 (0.7–3.6) 93% <0.01 22.9 (18.8–26.6)
≥38–52 <LOD 20% 1.4(0.9,2.5) 84% <0.01 13.5 (11.0–21.3)
PBDE-99 All 0.4 <LOD 0% 0.7 (0.4–0.9) 65% <0.0001 <LOD
18–<38 <LOD 0% 0.8 (0.4–1.2) 67% <0.05 <LOD
≥38–52 <LOD 0% 0.6 (0.4–0.9) 64% <0.01 <LOD
PBDE-100 All 0.4 <LOD 0% 0.55 (0.4–0.7) 60% <0.001 3.5 (3.0–4.3)
18–<38 <LOD 0% <LOD 53% 0.056 4.3 (3.3–5.0)
≥38–52 <LOD 0% 0.6 (0.4–0.8) 64% <0.01 2.9 (2.1–3.8)
PBDE-153 All 0.4 1.2 (1.0–1.7) 95% 13.0 (10.2–18.8) 100% <0.0001 4.2 (3.3–5.1)
18–<38 1.0 (0.8–1.2) 100% 12.2 (5.6–18.8) 100% <0.0001 5.1 (4.2–6.0)
≥38–52 1.7(0.9,2.5) 90% 13.2 (9.5–20) 100% <0.001 3.1 (2.5–4.2)
PBDE-154 All 0.4 <LOD 0% 0.5 (0.4–0.7) 60% <0.0001 <LOD
18–<38 <LOD 0% <LOD 53% 0.078 <LOD
≥38–52 <LOD 0% 0.5 (0.4–0.7) 64% <0.001 <LOD
PBDE-183 All 0.4 0.75 (0.4–1.2) 65% 7.3 (6.1–10.0) 100% <0.0001 <LOD
18–<38 0.85 (0.4–1.3) 60% 8.8 (6.2–15.9) 100% <0.001 <LOD
≥38–52 0.65 (0.3–1.4) 70% 6.6 (4–10.7) 100% <0.001 <LOD
PBDE-209 All 3.2 <LOD 25% 73.3 (32.4–138.2) 100% <0.0001 n/a
18–<38 <LOD 30% 82.4 (22.2–271.8) 100% <0.01 n/a
≥38–52 <LOD 20% 68.8 (19.8–138.2) 100% <0.001 n/a
Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCBs)
PCB-138/158 All 0.4 7.95 (5.4–9.9) 100% 7.7 (6.8–8.5) 100% >0.5 11.6 (9.9–14.2)
18–<38 7.85 (5.0–9.9) 100% 3.5 (2.6–7.5) 100% <0.05 7.4 (6.3–8.2)
≥38–52 8.3(3.8–13.8) 100% 8.1 (7.7–11.7) 100% >0.5 20.1 (16.6–23.8)
PCB-153 All 0.4 8.1 (4.0–22.9) 100% 7.8 (2.4–18.9) 100% >0.5 15.5 (14.1–18.4)
18–<38 8.8 (4.8–10.6) 100% 3.55 (2.8–6.6) 100% <0.05 8.8 (7.8–10.0)
≥38–52 8.1 (4.4–15.2) 100% 8.7 (7.8–13.0) 100% >0.5 25.8 (22.8–30.7)
Persistent Pesticides
p,p'-DDE All 2.3 182.5 (139.3–258.7) 100% 132(108–187) 100% <0.05 163 (138–220)
18–<38 158.3 (94.4–258.7) 100% 81.1 (57.9–141) 100% <0.05 124 (96.3–155)
≥38–52 209.0 (164.1–306.1) 100% 171 (131–275) 100% 0.15 260 (176–350)
p,p'-DDT All 1.6 26.1 (22.8–32.0) 100% 21.3 (19.0–25.7) 100% 0.3 <LOD
18–<38 25.0 (18.2–39.3) 100% 19.7(16.2–31.7) 100% 0.22 <LOD
≥38–52 28.5 (20.0–48.5) 100% 24.8 (18.2–26.0) 100% 0.47 <LOD

Abbreviations: Limit of detection (LOD; ng/g lipid), detection frequency is given and p-values for the comparison of the two Vietnamese groups. LOD, Limit of Detection; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval; PCT >LOD, percentage of results above the limit of detection; PBDE-47, 2,2’,4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; PBDE-99, 2,2’,4,4’,5-pentaBDE; PBDE-100, 2,2’,4,4’,6-pentaBDE; PBDE-153, 2,2’,4,4’,5,5’-hexaBDE; PBDE-154, 2,2’,4,4’,5,6’-hexaBDE; PBDE-183, 2,2’,3,4,4’,5’,6-heptaBDE; PBDE-209, decaBDE; PCB138/158, 2,2’,3,4,4’,5’-hexachlorobiphenyl and 2,3,3’,4,4’,6-hexaCB; PCB153, 2,2’,4,4’,5,5’-hexaCB; p,p'-DDE, 2,2-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethene; p,p'-DDT, 2,2-Bis(4-chlorophenyl-1,1,1-trichloroethane.

a

Limit of detection (LOD) is given as a median LOD since depended on available serum amount;

b

Median test for the comparison of comparison group and E-waste recyclers;

c

The US median population estimate for females from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the survey years 2003 and 04 (Sjödin et al 2008 and CDC 2003–2004).